Automobile gas tank cap lock



Dec. 21, 1937. H. wom-.EAD 2,102,775

AUTOMOBILE GAS TANK CAP LOOK ,I Byww Attorneys Dec. 21,1937. l H.cfwooDHEAD v 2,102,775

, AUTOMOBILE GAS TANK ICAP LOCK Filed Jan. 19,l 1957 l 2 sheets-sheet 2A am,

l Attorneys `Patented Dec. 21, 1937` UNITED-.STATES l1`=lrrr-lvr OFI-ice2,102,775 AUTOMOBILE GAS TANK cAP LOCK lHannah C. `Woodh`ead, Darby, Pa.Application January 19, 1937, Serial No.v121,341 2 claims. (ci. 22o- 55)My invention relates generally to means for securing the cap of anautomobile gasoline tank against unauthorized` removal, and particularlyto a mechanically operated arrangement oi this 5 character which iscontrollable from the driving compartment or other convenient place inthe interior of the automobile, and an important object of my inventionis to provide a simple, eilicient, and low cost arrangement of thecharacter indicated.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a readingof the following description taken in connection with the drawings,wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodimentof myinvention In the drawings:-

Flgure 1 is a side elevational View of an automobile showing the fillingcap in place on the lling neck of the automobile gas tank, and showingthe control or operating button mounted onv the instrument panel of theautomobile, with dotted lines indicating a suitable arrangement of theoperating cable.

Figure 2 isa transverse vertical sectional View J taken through thefilling neck, the iilling cap, and showing the connection of theoperating cable to the locking element.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2 with the cap removed.

1130 Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the cap.

Figure 5 ls a sectional elevational view showing the mounting of thecontrol or operating knob on the instrument panel or other supportingmember of the automobile.

3 3 Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generallydesignates an enclosed type of automobile which has at one side of itsrear the concealed gas tank li from which projects to the exterior ofthe automobile the filling -neck I which 40 is closed by a lling cap 8.An operating cable 9 extends through a suitable ilexible conduit Ill tothe instrument panel II or other supporting element in the interior ofthe automobile where the cable is operatively connected to the controlor operating knob l2y which by'reason of its location in the interior ofthe automobile is protected against .tampering by unauthorized persons,

In accordance with the present invention a generally conventional llingneck 'I is altered to embody a spring arm I3 which is secured bysuitable means to the interior of one side of the illling neck asindicated by the numeral M so that it 1 will normally be in a verticalposition and its upper part will stand away fromthe interior of theiilllng neck and engage against' or close to the depending flange I5 onthe upper end of the filling neck. Under this ange engage the` opposedwings I6, Il on the cap 8, which wings are passed to'bear secureposition under the flange I5 through notches I8, I9 formed vin the ange5 20 on the upper end of the filling neck from which the flange I5depends. The wings are each provided at one side with a depending flange2|, 22, respectively, and adequate securing means 23 astens the elementcarrying the Wings securely 1o 'to the depending cylindrical portion 24of the cap.

The purpose of the provision of the depending i flanges 2| and 22 on therespective wings IE and II is to provide adequate strength and rigidityfor these wings andalso to provide cam means 15 which act to force thespring arm I3'outwardly as the cap is being put in place so as to permitthegpassage Of one end of the wing member through the notch I9. Afterthe Wing member has been pressed intoplace and turnedto cause 20 itsends to pass under the flange I5 the spring arm I3 will return to itsnormal position and thus limit turning movement ofthe wing member of thecap. The wings extend radially outwardly beyond the flange I5 when inpositionin the lling 25 I neck, to a sufficient extent to make asubstantial engagement with the spring arm i3. The spring I3 beinglocated as indicated in Figure 3 at the notch I 9, positively preventsthe filling cap from being rotated into. a position in which the wings30 I6 and ll could pass through the notches IB, l5 and release the capfor removal.v

For retractlng the spring arm l5 one end v ofthe cable 5 ispassedthrough an opening in the upper part of the arm I3 and turned over 35 asindicated by the numeral 25. lthis connection of the cable with the arml5 is Supporting the tube 2t which is secured to the side of the fillingneck 'I aroundA or in an opening in the Wall of the filling neck, andthis tube has a all contracted part 2l which defines a shoulder againstwhich works one endof the expanding helical spring 28 whose opposite endworks against the outer side of the arm I5. Bymeans of this arrangementthe arm l5 is positively urged in a 45 radially inward direction andinto locking position relative to the wings i6, Il on the cap. Thecontracted portion of the tube 26 snugly receives. the conduit I0 asindicated in Figure 2 and the 50 conduit I leads along a suitable routeto a point in advance of the instrument panel or dashboard iI- whereatthe front end of the cable is connected to a suitable operating knob I2.

A tube 29 of rigid character encases the front 55 end'oi the conduit itas shown in Figure 5 and is mounted in an exteriorly threaded bushing 3Bwhich is mounted through a receiving opening 3i in the instrument panelIl, and on the right hand side of the panel H the bushing has astationary flange 32. A locking or clamping nut 33 is threaded on thebushing 3i! to engage the back of the instrument panel in opposition tothe ange 32 to make the mounting secure.

It is obvious that with the cap in place and in a lock position on thefilling neck, the same cannot be rotated to a position to oe-releasedfrom the nlling yneck while the operating button i2 is in the normalpushed-in or indrawn position shown in Figure 5, since in this positionthe spring arm i3 is blocking the notch I4 in the ange of the fillingneck. But when the handle i2 is pulled outwardly sumciently to cause thecable 9 to overcome the tension of the spring 28 and that of the springarm I3, so as to with- W. tm and any change or changes may be made inthe materials and in the structure and artl,@ongeinent of the parts,within the spirit or the cluding opposed notches, a cap imposable on the5 upper end of said filling neck and provided with opposed Wings adaptedto pass downwardly through the notches and engage under the iiange, andspring-pressed detent means located in one of said notches and mountedon the filling neck 1( for blocking said notch to prevent Withdrawal ofone of the wings through said notch, cam means on the wings for movingthe detent means partly out of the notch when the cap is being put onthe neck and means for withdrawing said 1;

detent from normal operative locking position.

2. Means'for locking a cap on a neck comprising a depending part on thecap provided with opposed wings. a flange surrounding the opening in theneck having opposed notches 2( through which the wings pass as the capis being placed on the neck, a turning movement of the cap placing thewings under the ange to lock the cap to the neck, a spring arm mountedin the neck and having its free end normallyr 2;

located in one of the said notches, a lateral tubular projection on theneck, a spring therein engaging a portion of the free end of the arm topress the same into the notch and an operating member extending throughthe tubular vprojec- 3( tion and connected with the spring arm forretracting the same. Y l

HANNAH C. WOODHEAD.

